NORTH HOLLAND, Netherlands—Nearly two-thirds (64%) of consumers said they would be unlikely to do business with a company that had experienced a breach where financial information was stolen, according to a new global survey.
The report from Gemalto also indicates that 49% would no longer use a company if personal information had been stolen.
Bill Hardekopf, CEO at LowCards.com, Birmingham, Ala., pointed out the survey shows how people’s fraud concerns spike this time of year. “Six in 10 people believe security threats increase during the holiday season, and 18% believe they are likely to be a victim of a data breach this time of year,” said Hardekopf.
Gemalto surveyed 5,750 consumers in Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States on customer attitudes about data breaches. Key findings include:
Confidence in Corporate Data Security
Just one in four consumers believe companies take the protection and security of customer data seriously, the study indicates. Only 38% of the employed respondents feel their employer takes the protection and security of employee data seriously. Most of the respondents (69%) said it is a company's responsibility to protect data—not the customer's.
Past Data Breaches
Thirty-one percent of respondents have already had to deal with a data breach. Respondents were victimized due to visiting fraudulent websites (42%), phishing attacks (40%) or clicking fraudulent web links (37%). Those who have been victims of data breaches are likely to feel more apprehensive about shopping, as 19% believe they may be revictimized within one to three years.
Riskiest Websites
Nearly all (90%) of the respondents think certain apps and websites pose significant security risks. Fifty-five percent believe social media is the riskiest, and two in five consumers believe adult content and torrent apps/websites are the greatest threat.
Consumer Action
Twenty-three percent of respondents who have been victims of data breaches have either taken, or would consider taking, legal action against a company that exposed their personal information. Nearly half said they would take legal action against a company if their financial information was exposed.